Allerdale Borough Council 2/2012/0140 Reference No: 2/2012/0140 Received: 29 February 2012 Proposed Installation of one turbine on 24 metre mast Development: Location: Moordyke Aikton Wigton Applicant: Mr & Mrs Quayle Drawing Numbers: 1 - Block Plan 2 - Site Location Plan HI12c-ELE - Turbine Elevations Email received 27 July 2012 relating to colour of turbine Ecological Statement Constraints: Policies: Northwest Regional Spatial Strategy Policy DP7 - Promote environmental quality Policy DP9 - Reduce emissions and adapt to climate change Policy EM17 - Renewable Energy Cumbria and Lake District Joint Structure Plan Policy E38 - Historic environment Policy R44 - Renewable energy outside the Lake District National Park and AONBs Allerdale Local Plan, Adopted 1999 (Saved) Policy EN6 - Location of potentially polluting development Policy EN10 - Restoration, after uses cease Policy EN19 - Landscape Protection Policy EN25 - Protecting the open countryside Policy EN32 - Protecting wildlife protected by law Policy CO18 – Setting of Listed Building Policy CO19 - Protection of Scheduled Ancient Monuments National Planning Policy Framework Supporting a properous rural economy Protecting Green Belt land Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change Conserving and enhancing the natural environment Conserving and enhancing the historic environment Relevant Planning None relevant to application History: Representations: Parish/Town Council – No objections. Cumbria Highways – No objections. Ministry of Defence – No objections. Arquira – No reply to date. Environmental Health – No objections subject to conditions attached. Civil Aviation Authority – Consultations for wind energy related development is exceeding the resource available to respond within LPA timeframes. Should consult with NATS and MoD and relevant aerodromes. The CAA has no responsibility for safeguarding sites other than within its own property. RSPB – No reply to date. Natural England – No objections on the impact on designated sites. It is not clear from the submitted information what the impact on protected species will be (bats). We request further details be provided, however if the turbine was moved to within 50m of a linear feature/building(s) then further surveys would not be needed. NATS – No safeguarding objection. County Planning – Do not consider the proposal to be a Category 1 application and that the County Council will not be responding from a strategic planning perspective. Fire Officer – No objections. United Utilities – No objections. Cumbria Wildlife Trust – No reply to date. Stobbart Air(Carlisle airport) – Government policy to encourage generation of electricity from renewable resources has led to a proliferation of wind turbine planning applications across the UK. It is therefore vitally important for the Airport operator to properly assess the potential effect of each development in order to safeguard the continued safety of aircraft operations. Initial assessment of the proposal reveals a potential conflict with Carlisle Airport safeguarding criteria. Consequently a more in- depth assessment of your proposed development is required (30 March 2012) Upon receipt of the Aviation Assessment we can confirm the proposal would not have any impact on safe aviation operations at Carlisle Airport (5 July 2012) The application has been advertised on site and adjoining owners have been notified. A letter of objection has been received from FORCE who recommend the application be refused. Although supporting renewable energy, they are concerned about the irreversible loss and damage to out rural landscape, through inappropriate development, combined with the negative impacts on local rural communities. • Proximity to houses/amenity – there are numerous houses within close proximity of turbine (300m – 600m). The effect on amenity both within and outside of people homes would be severe. • Cumulative impacts and effects – There has been an increase in the number of smaller scale turbines been erected in Allerdale. In considering, cumulative effects, the landscape assessment failed to mention other nearby proposals. • We suggest that ZTVs should be submitted as part of the application. Report Planning permission is sought for installation of one turbine on 24 metre mast, Moordyke, Aikton, Wigton. Proposal The proposal is for one, WES18 wind turbine, with two blades. The proposed turbine is to be installed on a mast that will have a hub height of approximately 24.830m, rotar diameter of 18m and a maximum tip height of approximately 34.5m. The turbine would be sited within a field, to the west of the farm buildings at Moordyke, to which the land relates. The turbine will be located approximately 26m from the nearest farm building. The proposal includes: • Base work to secure the turbines to the site • Underground wires to connect to the national grid Requirement for Environmental Impact Assessment The Local Planning Authority have issued a screening opinion as part of the application that the proposed development does not constitute EIA development and an EIA is not required to be submitted with an application for planning permission. Site The application site is located within an agricultural holding in the open countryside to the north of the built settlement of Aikton. The site is located to the west of the farm complex away from the public road. The proposed wind turbine location is approximately 300m west of the nearest public road. The farm house is located approximately 130m east of the proposed wind turbine. Access to the proposed turbine will be via the existing entrance to the farm buildings. The land surrounding the site is relatively flat and consists largely of intensively managed farmland. The turbine is located to the west of modern farm buildings and there is a hedge with sparodic trees along the boundary to the north. Isolated trees and hedgerows border nearby fields and roads. The surrounding area is generally fields, interspersed by traditional field hedging and isolated dwellings/farm buildings. Policy National planning guidance is supportive of renewable energy production and regional targets are in place to encourage its development. National energy policy recognises that the UK has some of the richest renewable resources in Europe, particularly wind resources, which if captured can make a significant contribution to our long term energy goals on climate change and security of supply. In terms of the planning system, this factor is a material consideration that should be given significant weight when considering renewable proposals. As core principles, the National Planning Policy Framework includes the requirement to take account of the different roles and character of different areas, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and encourage the use of renewable resources. The NPPF states that the delivery of low carbon energy and associated infrastructure is central to the economic social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. In determining planning applications, LPA’s should: • not require applicants for energy development to demonstrate the overall need for renewable or low carbon energy and also recognise that even small-scale projects provide a valuable contribution to cutting greenhouse gas emissions; and • approve the application if its impacts are (or can be made) acceptable. This positive approach to renewables is underpinned by the Climate Change Act and binding legal targets to reduce carbon emissions. At the regional level, the North West of England Plan Regional Spatial Strategy to 2021 (RSS) Policy DP9 supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and EM17 encourages the installation of renewable energy generation, where certain criteria are met. The RSS also contains regional targets for Cumbria. Whilst the Localism Act proposes the abolition of the RSS, a consideration that may be given some weight, the RSS remains part of the Development Plan for the present time. Further, the intention to abolish the RSS in this instance is considered to carry less weight because the underlying binding targets of the Climate Change Act will remain. Saved Policy R44 of the Joint Structure Plan states that outside the Lake District and AONB proposals for renewable energy, including any ancillary infrastructure or buildings, will be favourably considered subject to a number of criteria relating to landscape character, biodiversity and natural and built heritage, local amenity, local economy, highways or telecommunications. Specifically for wind turbines, the policy indicates that measures should be included to secure satisfactory removal of structures/related infrastructure and remediation of land following cessation of operation of the installation. The County Council has also produced the Cumbria Wind Energy Supplementary Planning Document. Policy EN25 of the Allerdale Local Plan restricts development within the open countryside to that which is ‘essential’ to meet a local need. No Allerdale Borough Council policies specifically relating to renewable energy have been ‘saved’ . However, the weight to be given to policy EN25 now depends on compatibility with the NPPF which specifies approval of such applications if its impacts are (or can be made) acceptable. Assessment Needs/Benefits The needs and benefits of the proposal are important elements in the overall planning balance. Guidance in the national energy policy, RSS Policy EM17 and Structure Plan Policy R44 indicates that